The Incessant War

by Sana Saleem on July 7, 2009

They say it’s a never ending war , that war has never been the solution. I want to agree , I want this madness to stop. The Taliban madness that makes all our daily life miseries seem ‘dim’. Everyday the headlines fill up with stories of war.  Accentuating the brilliance of  the military offensive and celebrating the deaths of more and more militants. The truth sinks somewhere behind all the  military wish-wash , a truth that needs to be told and accepted. With every blow we hurl their way they come back with a stronger force.  These people’ we call as ‘Taliban’ or ‘militants’ are deeply rooted within our society.  We loathe them for their ‘extremism’ and vow to wipe them off , but can we uproot an ideology with weapons?.

No I am not against the military offensive in swat , and this isn’t about how we should ‘settle’ with the Talibs instead of the war. It isn’t. It cant be.

Image Courtesy: Dawn.com
Image Courtesy: Dawn.com

Its about the perplexed state of mind we all are in. Its about how we have all had enough , and how difficult its become to actually be optimistic about the future.  Just about today a piece in dawn indicated the resurfacing of  Sufi Muhammad in Peshawar. Makes me think if there really is a way to uproot the menace. Or will  we choose to quarantine the ‘good’ Talibs and triumph on the deaths of others. Honestly I don’t even know if the news is true, but isn’t this uncertainty a pain enough ?. To be unaware of the potentialities of the enemy. Its like being hurled in battle ground  heavily equipped but blindfolded.

With the war in the backdrop and a growing exodus, does the enemy not enjoy the leverage of  our  piling instability ?

Photo Courtesy: Dawn

Another  piece in dawn states  that There are some 35,000 pregnant women among the 3.5 million IDPs who will deliver in the next seven months.  The question is are we ready to bring these children into our world of uncertainties.  The children already present at the IDP camps have lost their sense to speak. They have been shut by the atrocities they were made to witnessed. The first hand victims of war now lay helplessly while the war becomes our cover story. These people have shown utmost patience.  While our political leaders stood at distance and worked on peace deals,  these children’s became witness to ritual beheading of their family members. We didn’t care then , we were aloof and marred by the bloodshed  around our cities. Quite thankfully many of us asked for ‘Nizam-e-aqal’ and denounced any peace talk with the talib’s of barbarism.

We chose a way that ensures that every single  drop of  blood shed  by the regime will be paid for. That the ideology will be crippled and peace will triumph.

Months in the army offensive most of us still lack faith.  Its difficult to make patience while we see refugees pooling in as we watch helpless ,struggling to help.  The fact is this war is a long term affair. Its not only about killing the militancy but wiping the ideology that seeps in our society at many levels. Without dismantling the mindset we will only gain a temporary victory. A not so permanent fix that will   be challenged with a larger blow as the miscreants resurface form within us.  We will not be victorious till we choose to fight against our own demons. This isn’t only a war about weapons , it is  a war of ideologies. Only we can choose whether we will ever learn to have faith and rise above our past or chose to dwell in decades of uncertainties.

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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

1 Adil 07.07.09 at 3:37 pm

Dear writer

what do u suggest we should have left those 35000 women in their captivated homes? After so long a right step is being taken by our top hierarchy & here we are creating confusion among the common men and women by creating controversies, with the basic motive that more and more people attracted to my website and increase my earnings because every 1 knows controversies earn us business. you said “With every blow we hurl their way they come back with a stronger force” as beofre this war they were spreading prosperity all our the country. So please lets not spread more unrest in our society. Use our vision to make sure peace and calmness prevails among fellow countrymen.

you have quite rightly used the word ideology many times, but the 14 & 16 years old kids dont even know this word. They are misguided by the evils, the evils who are enemy of both my religion and my country. if those evils are wipped off sooner rather than later thier ideology would die aswell.

We need to clear our thinking and differentiate between “ideology and individual”. If Mr zardari is wrong it doesnt mean politics is untouchable. Let us make sure we help out each other, stand by our army, who, as u mentioned, is facing a war of weapons and ideology. Let them fight the weapons far and let us clean the ideology clouds & soon inshallah we will be out of this mess. Can we show the world the glimpses of HIJERAT-e-MADINA & if we can then those 35000 sisters will feel their babies are born in a better and properous Pakistan inshallah.

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